Don Rickles

The National Comedy Center announced Thursday that it will be preserving an archival collection from Don Rickles’ estate, showcasing the late comedy legend’s six-decade career. The collection spans from the 1950s to 2000s, chronicling a storied life in comedy through rare photographs, correspondence, creative papers, and wardrobe – all of which will be preserved at the National Comedy Center.

The centerpiece of the collection is a remarkably thorough and intimate documentation of Rickles’ career in comedy in more than 40 photo and memorabilia albums assembled by the comedian and his wife, Barbara. These hand-crafted books meticulously chronicle Rickles’ hard-won rise to fame as a young comic honing his craft, track his extraordinary success as a Las Vegas fixture, and culminate with his later years as the comedy community’s beloved elder statesman, as represented from his first-person perspective.

A new display now on view at the National Comedy Center’s state-of-the-art museum in Jamestown features iconic items from the Rickles collection, including a stage-worn tuxedo and a neon caricature of the comedian that appeared as on-stage decor during his live performances. A special highlight is an interactive feature that “insults” museumgoers with never-before-heard audio recorded by Rickles shortly before his passing. The Rickles artifacts are presented alongside the Center’s exhibit on the art of the roast.

The donation to the National Comedy Center was made by Rickles’ daughter, comedian Mindy Rickles, who wished to make her father’s career collection accessible to comedy fans, students, and researchers, while also preserving his legacy for future generations.

“‘Mr. Warmth,’ ‘The Merchant of Venom,’ ‘The Emperor of Insult’ – by any name and by any measure, Don Rickles was an extraordinary artist who brought laughter to millions over six decades,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “Rickles’ comedy was relentlessly funny – he was a true original, beloved by his audiences and by the comedy community.”

“To be insulted by Don Rickles was a badge of honor,” added Gunderson. “Now his fans can visit the museum to honor his legacy and be ‘insulted’ by Rickles themselves.”

“My father loved nothing more than to make people laugh. His work and his audiences meant everything to him,” stated Mindy Rickles. “So, I could not be more pleased to donate this personal collection to the National Comedy Center, where fans of my dad, and all who love comedy, can see artifacts from his career that he treasured so much.”